Child Of Iron
by Deathstroke Terminator
Summary: Fem!Harry- "We're in Kings Cross you say. I think if you so desired you'd be able to board a train." "And where would it take me?" "To a new world." Dumbledore paused, almost hesitant. "A world where you would have a new name, a new face . . . and a new family." A year later Tony finds a baby with a lightning bolt scar on his doorstep. . . [Daddy!Tony, Mommy!Pepper, & Child!Harry]
1. To Board a Train

Summary: Fem!Harry- "We're in Kings Cross you say. I think if you so desired you'd be able to board a train." "And where would it take me?" "To a new world." Dumbledore paused, almost hesitant. "A world where you would have a new name, a new face . . . and a new family." A year later Tony finds a baby with a lightning bolt scar on his doorstep. . . [Daddy!Tony, Mommy!Pepper, & Child!Harry]

This idea just came to me. I've been trying to think of a way to incorporate the overdone idea of 'Tony adopts/is the father of *so and so*' although in this case I desired the so and so to be a young female Harry Potter. ^,^ I'm pretty happy with the idea I came up with. In this story not only does Harry's parents remain faithful to one another Lily and James are actually still Harry's parents _and_ Harry still gets to be the heroic (in this case) _Girl_-Who-Lived.

So basically this story is canon (excluding the fact that Harry is a girl) up until the conversation Harry has with Dumbledore in Limbo.

I'm not sure how often I'll be updating this story since I have another one I'm writing at the moment and since it's so popular (and I love it so much) it will take priority over this one.

I hope you guys like this as much as I do :)

* * *

Chapter 1

To Board a Train

* * *

Harry silently sat down next to Dumbledore, an air of content surrounding them both. It was so peaceful here in this clean white version of Kings Cross Station. There were no screeching whistles or the chugging of trains nor were there any tearful goodbyes coming from melancholy parents who were seeing their children off to Hogwarts. All there was to be found here in this tranquil parody of the train station Harry knew so well was the occasional bench, herself, and Dumbledore.

All too soon Harry broke the comfortable silence between them with a sigh. "I have to go back haven't I?" For some reason the idea wasn't as appealing to Harry as it should have been. She should have wanted to go back to her friends and the people who cared about her . . . but Harry was tired. She'd fought so hard and for so long in a war that she had no choice but to take part in. All she really wanted was to rest and find happiness with the loved ones she'd lost along the way.

Dumbledore tilted his head to the side and looked at her in that strange nonchalant way he'd seemed to adopt since his death. "Oh, that's up to you", he told her in a tone of voice he'd been using since she arrived at Kings Cross Station that managed to reflect that nonchalant attitude of his to a T. In a way it made him seem completely neutral on the subject, as if he didn't care whether she decided to live or die. For all Harry knew he _didn't_ care. However Harry was more inclined to believe that Dumbledore wanted her to make her own decision without any influence on his part guiding her in one direction or the other.

For a moment a smile tugged at Harry's lips as she gazed at the man that she'd admired for so long. The History books would probably try to make Dumbledore out as a manipulative man who saw Harry as nothing more than a pawn in the war against the Light and the Dark as some people already have.

Harry saw him differently though- she saw a man who was stuck between a rock and a hard place. From what she could tell now that she knew the full story Dumbledore didn't choose her because of some silly prophecy, he chose her because she truly was the only one who could defeat Lord Voldemort. The moaning piece of Tom's shattered soul that Harry found dying under a bench just a few minutes ago was proof enough of that. So despite all the secrets kept from her over the years and all of the times the Wizard manipulated her, Harry forgave Dumbledore.

"I have a choice?" Harry asked him, not quite sure if she heard right.

"Oh yes."

Harry bit her lip as she chewed over his words.

It was a rather daunting concept.

To think that she could at this very moment be reunited with either her parents who she'd never gotten the opportunity to know or the friends she left behind to fight the war- it was breathtaking.

It should have been an easy decision. She should have chosen life and her friends in a heartbeat but she didn't. Instead she wondered . . .

"We're in Kings Cross you say", Dumbledore mused aloud suddenly looking off to the side almost absently. "I think if you so desired you'd be able to board a train."

At the suggestion Harry's breath caught in her throat and for a moment she was unable to respond. "And where would it take me?"

Dumbledore smiled down at her. It was a soft gentle smile he usually reserved for first years that were new to Hogwarts and still finding their way in life. It was meant to sooth but it also revealed an apparent fondness and something that seemed suspiciously like nostalgia which filled anyone who received it with a warm kind of happiness and an unshakable sense of security.

"To a new world", Dumbledore began only to pause a moment later, seeming almost hesitant for a beat of time. "It would take you to a world where you would have a new name, a new face . . . _and a new family_."

The meaning behind Dumbledore's words were bold and impactful, so much so in fact that they seemed to almost surround Harry and take turns arguing with her heart and mind in a desperate attempt to get her to consent to Dumbledore's generous proposal.

[_If you agree you could have a family that will give you the love and attention you were neglected of as a child._]

'_While_ _my Aunt and Uncle might not have loved me my Mum and Dad always have and always will!_' her heart argued.

[_I'm not saying that your Mum and Dad don't love you, I'm saying that you have a shot at having an actual childhood here. Do you really want to give that opportunity up?_]

'_Yes, No . . . I mean- _I don't know!' her mind cried.

Dumbledore decided now would be a good time to break through her frantic musings. "Unfortunately we don't have all day for you to make your decision Harry. I suggest you hurry things along. After all you don't want to miss the train before you've even made your decision now do you?"

Now aware of how little time she had to make a decision Harry licked her lips and stared at the ground in deep thought.

She had three options here.

She could choose Death and follow Dumbledore to where her parents were waiting for her with Sirius and everyone else who died in the war.

She could also choose to wake up and finish the war so she could enjoy the rest of her life with Hermione, Ron, and the rest of her friends.

. . . Or she could choose the unknown and start a new journey as a different person without the burdens of fame haunting her every step.

"Dumbledore."

"Yes my dear?"

"I think I have a train to catch."

The Wizard smiled down at her then with that familiar twinkle shinning in his cheerful eyes. "Ahh, I thought you might say that."

* * *

Yay! That went waaay better than I thought it would ^,^ Kind of a short first chapter I suppose but it will do. Hopefully I don't have too many typos in this. I mean I'm pretty tired at the moment so . . . yah. I probably messed something up somewhere :P

*Update* Yup. I find like seven bagillion mistakes in like five seconds after I published this.


	2. Left on the Doorstep Again

Summary: Fem!Harry- "We're in Kings Cross you say. I think if you so desired you'd be able to board a train." "And where would it take me?" "To a new world." Dumbledore paused, almost hesitant. "A world where you would have a new name, a new face . . . and a new family." A year later Tony finds a baby with a lightning bolt scar on his doorstep. . . [Daddy!Tony, Mommy!Pepper, & Child!Harry]

I'm thinking this story will mostly be in Tony's POV but that might change. I don't quite know yet. By the way you guys are amazing! I mean holy shit you guys. I've gotten a crazy amount of feedback already!

Note- Like it says in the story description Harry is one years old when Tony finds her on his doorstep.

* * *

Chapter 2

Left on the Doorstep Again

* * *

Harry didn't remember much after she 'boarded the train' as Dumbledore put it.

What little she did remember was blurry and unclear.

After leaving Limbo everything had faded to black and stayed that way for an unknown amount of time.

Harry wasn't aware of what was happening then. All she knew at the time was the feeling of safety. She also didn't remember what happened after she awoke from her trance like state. During this time she was able to move again although Harry still remained unaware of her surroundings. Everything seemed blurry and she couldn't properly hear what was going on around her.

If Harry had the ability to understand what was going on she would have remarked that the entire ordeal was a lot like having her limbs weighed down by heavy weights while her eyes and ears were submerged underwater. Of course Harry neither had the capacity to think such things at the time nor did she retain any memories from this period of her life so she couldn't make the observation after the fact either.

At some point her eyes cleared up and it didn't seem like she had cotton in her ears anymore. It was then that she seemed to realize, if only faintly, that she wasn't alone- that she hadn't been this entire time. There was a woman taking care of her, a woman with dark black hair and blue eyes who sung softly when Harry cried.

"Don't cry Wren", the woman would coo softly, affectionately. "Mommy's got you."

Harry, or rather _Wren_, liked this woman even if she didn't quite understand why at the time.

One day however the woman's voice faded away and was replaced by a new one. As time passed the woman's voice was forgotten and as Wren grew the new voice seemed to be the only one there ever was.

It would take two years for Wren to have a faint idea of what was going on and two more until she remembered anything about the life she led before.

The moment Wren remembered everything about her past life she felt exasperation more than anything else.

'_It's just my luck that I'd be reincarnated as the daughter of the Muggle Comic Book hero Tony Stark_' she thought dryly when she realized her new life wouldn't be so normal after all. She might not have known much about the Muggle comic books Dudley liked to read but she knew enough to fully grasp just how much chaos was coming her way.

* * *

Tony Stark- a young, handsome, and rich bachelor.

You would think such a man would be carefree and living life to its fullest.

Many thought Tony was.

However not only was Tony extremely busy running Stark Industries he was also still mourning the resent death of his father Howard Stark whose passing officially left him parentless.

He had no time to spare between creating revolutionary new weapons and managing Stark Industries, even with Obi's help.

Therefore the last thing he needed was anyone getting in his way and taking up his valuable time.

Yet here he was standing on his doorstep with a dumbstruck expression on his face as he stared down at a baby who was left crying in the pouring rain.

Not knowing what else to do Tony picked up the basket the baby was curled up in and carried it inside.

Despite being in a state of shock Tony had enough common sense to change the baby out of the wet blanket and wrap (Him? Her?) in one of his old t-shirts to keep it warm.

The baby had dark raven hair, an odd lightning bolt shaped scar on its forehead, and what looked suspiciously like his chocolate brown eyes.

'_No_' he denied. '_This can't be my child. I'm only twenty two. I'm too young to have a child. I'm too _busy_ to have a child_.'

But those eyes . . .

'_Purely coincidence_' he told himself.

For a moment he almost believed that.

Then he found the envelope at the bottom of the basket.

It held the child's birth certificate, a list stating what kind of foods the kid liked and disliked, and a note from the kid's mother.

_Dear Tony,_

_I'm sorry I never told you this before but that night we slept together you got me pregnant. I would have told you sooner but with the responsibilities you had to take on recently I didn't think it was a good idea. _

_On November 17__th__ 1992 I gave birth to our child, Wren Angel Stark. No one knows that you're Wren's father other than the two of us so if you decide not to keep her you can give her away without anyone knowing she's yours. I truly hope you don't though. It would be a shame for her to grow up without at least one of us in her life. _

_I'm sure that at this point you're probably wondering why I left Wren on your doorstep. When my parents found out I'd had a child out of wedlock they refused to let me keep her. They told me that if I didn't tell them who the father was then they would make me give her up. Of course I'm old enough that they couldn't legally put Wren up for adoption without my consent but I was afraid my father might try to do so anyway. I decided to leave Wren with you so she could be raised by a member of her family without the fear of either of my parents stealing her away. _

_I hope you can forgive me for this. I know we were never close, all we had was an emotionless fling but I still hope you'll let me see her again someday._

_-Yours truly, Tracy Johnson_

Tony reread the note twice. Yes, he remembered Tracy now. She was a nice girl. Not the type that usually wanted to sleep with him in fact. That was the reason he chose to take her home over all the other women in the club that night.

She was- still is- young. She must have been eighteen at the time while he had just turned twenty one. What a good girl like her had been doing in a place like that was beyond him. She must have been pressured into going by her friends or something.

Just then the baby started crying again.

"Oh man", he sighed running a hand through his hair as he watched the baby squirm and cry in his shirt helplessly.

. . . How did you take care of a baby again?

Oh god, he was not cut out for this.

* * *

Don't worry you guys Harry won't know much of anything about the Marvel comic books since Dudley never let her read them. She's only vaguely familiar with Tony Stark and a few other characters but she knows enough to realize her life isn't going to be normal like she thought it would be.

Also Tracy isn't going to be a big part of this story. I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with her but I'm thinking I'll either have her die or just stay away from Tony and Wren for the most part. Remember this fic has Mommy!Pepper in it ;) What do you guys think should happen though? I tried to make the whole 'mother gives Tony the child to raise' thing different than the fics I've read before. Pretty much all of them either have the mother die and leave Tony responsible for the kid or the child is older and the mom decides the child should get to get to know Tony.

Oh and I probably won't update this story every day, if even once a week just so you know. I was just feeling inspired and felt the need to update this story today is all. I might update it again tomorrow though since I really want to keep writing at the moment.

If anyone's confused about what happened in this chapter Wren is one at the moment but it was established that Wren will start to remember her past when she turns two and will remember everything by the time she's four. Also will refer to Harry as Wren from now on so its not confusing.

Ug. I'm not messing this up already am I?


	3. Sing Me a Song

Summary: Fem!Harry- "We're in Kings Cross you say. I think if you so desired you'd be able to board a train." "And where would it take me?" "To a new world." Dumbledore paused, almost hesitant. "A world where you would have a new name, a new face . . . and a new family." A year later Tony finds a baby with a lightning bolt scar on his doorstep. . . [Daddy!Tony, Mommy!Pepper, & Child!Harry]

I like this chapter ^,^ Like a lot. I'm super happy I decided to write this story.

To clarify this story takes place in the Marvel movieverse although because Harry was born around 1980 and died during the Final Battle none of the Marvel movies we all know and love had come out yet so Harry's only reference to the Marvel verse is through the Muggle comics she saw Dudley reading when they were younger.

Also, I know, I named Harry Wren. -.- I always promised myself that I wouldn't give cannon characters different names but I was thinking what are the odds of Harry keeping the same name? Plus I didn't want Harry to have a boring name or anything. Besides, I actually kind of like Wren and once Harry gets older she can always request to be called Harry or Harriet or something. I'm sure I'll think of something . . . Also I'm thinking of eventually making Harry an Animagus. What do you guys think it should be? Cat, a Wren bird (that would certainly be ironic :P), a snake, a dog, a phoenix, ect, ect?

* * *

Chapter 3

Sing Me a Song~

* * *

Tony stared.

And stared.

And stared.

What the hell was he supposed to do now? He couldn't exactly give the baby away. Well technically he could but that's not the point. He wasn't about to give up his own child, even if he desperately wanted to. He just couldn't do that. Tony knew how awful it was to grow up without having parents because of how little attention he got from his own. The idea of finding a nice family to take care of Wren was certainly tempting but even then he couldn't guarantee that they would treat her with the love and respect that she deserved and that was a risk he just wasn't willing to take.

Tony refused to fuck up this kid's life just to sate his own selfish desires because despite what he led people to believe he actually was a good person at heart.

Of course Tony still didn't want the responsibility of taking care of a kid (or the guilt of messing Wren up for life somehow which he would probably end up doing) so he also tried calling Tracy but she was stubbornly ignoring all his calls.

Really he only had one option as loathe as he was to admit it . . .

Tony had to raise the baby himself.

Scratch that actually.

There was no way in hell he was raising this baby by himself.

He needed someone to help him raise Wren because, really, how is he supposed to take care of a baby when he could barely take care of himself?

* * *

"Mr. Stark?"

"I told you not to call me that Happy."

"Oh, right", Happy laughed nervously. "I forgot. So what is it that you needed help with Mr. S- er Tony?"

Happy Hogan, good reliable Happy, currently stood behind Tony who had his back facing the boxer turned body guard. From his vantage point Happy could tell that his boss was holding something in his arms but that was about it.

Curiously Happy inquired, "What do you have there sir?"

Wordlessly Tony turned around and in one quick move dumped Wren in Happy's arms.

It took a moment for Happy to register what was happening and to deduce what this all meant but seeing as what he thought absolutely _couldn't_ be true he just stared at the baby with a stunned look on his face. "Uh, what's this?"

"That, my dear man, is a baby", Tony told him with a quick and obviously fake smile before he turned on his heal and promptly walked away.

Happy, who was truly perplexed by the situation, was quick to trail after his boss while clutching the baby close to his chest. Happy scoffed loudly with a panicked look in his eyes as he matched Tony stride for stride. "Yes, I realized that", he snorted, seemingly perturbed. "I meant why do you have a baby- and why in the world are you giving him to me?"

Without stopping Tony said, "First of all Wren is a girl and second, well, that's not really any of your business is it Happy? I hired you to protect me, not ask me questions I don't want to answer."

"You're right, I was hired to be your body guard not your interrogator, but I'm pretty sure being a babysitting isn't a part of my job description!" Happy paused to observe the baby's features with a great deal of interest. "Where did you get a baby from anyway?"

Realizing that he would need to give Happy an explanation sooner or later Tony stopped in front of his mini bar to pour himself a glass of scotch.

He downed in one shot.

The genius didn't say anything for a while as he struggled to collect his thoughts. In this time he merely stared at Happy while he refilled his glass and drained this one too. In that moment something in Tony's eyes looked so vulnerable that Happy couldn't help but real back in shock.

As Happy stared at that open look in his friend's eyes something seemed to click in his mind. "Oh my God, this is your kid isn't it?"

In response to Happy's inquiry Tony threw his arms to the side and gave Happy a mocking bow, expertly keeping his drink from spilling with the movement. "Indeed she is. Well done Happy."

Happy's face scrunched up in confusion at the admission. Had Wren not been in his arms the body guard would have scratched his head in his utter bewilderment. "Right . . ." he drew out uncertainly subtly eyeing the front door as he contemplated making a run for it. "And what do you want me to do with her exactly again?"

Tony shot Happy a mild glare, clearly indicating that he'd seen the body guard eyeing the door and knew what he had considered doing. "I want you to take care of Wren for me until I can hire someone more suitable to help me raise her", Tony told him as if this was blatantly obvious and that Happy should have already known this.

Happy blanched at the idea and shifted the baby in his arms with an unfathomable look in his eyes. "A-are you kidding me? Why the hell would you think I know anything about taking care of babies?"

"I don't know dammit!" Tony suddenly yelled slamming his glass onto the counter top hard enough to rattle the bottles of liquor on the nearby shelf.

Startled by the loud noise, Wren began to cry. A look of pure horror crossed Happy's face as he held the crying infant in his arms as if she were a ticking bomb. "Oh God, no! What do I do now?" he yelped pitifully.

Tony, for his part, seemed equally distressed if the way he was trying to rip his hair out was any indication. "I don't know!? That's what I called you for!"

"M-maybe we could try singing to her?" Happy suggested earnestly over the wails of the baby.

Tony sent him a look that suggested Happy took too many hits to the head in the ring. "Singing? That's the best you can come up with?"

Just then Wren arched her back in Happy's arms and proceeded to cry even louder, her little face turning as red as a tomato.

"Singing it is", Tony quickly splutter in agreement.

". . ."

"Well?"

"Well, what?" Happy asked defensively as he bounced Wren in his arms in an attempt to calm her down while trying not to drop her at the same time.

"Don't you have a song for us to sing?" Tony asked him incredulously.

"Do I look like the type of guy who knows a bunch of songs by heart?"

"It was your idea!"

"I know- I just figured you would know a good song to sing to her!"

"What made you think that?!"

"I don't know but you'd better think of something fast because I've got nothing!"

"Ok, ok", Tony agreed wracking his brain for a song the two of them might know. "How about the Oscar Myer Weiner song?" Tony suggested.

"I don't know that one . . .", Happy admitted sheepishly.

"What? How can you not know that one? It's a classic! I specifically chose that song because practically everyone knows it!"

In response Happy shook his head with a distant look in his eyes that suggested he was thinking of a plan. "I have a better idea", he announced suddenly.

With that said Happy deposited the still crying Wren in Tony's arms. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

"What?" Tony asked in rising panic as he struggled to get a firm grip on Wren due to her incessant wriggling. "Where are you going?" When Happy didn't respond Tony cried, "Where are you going Goddamn it?!"

"To get an old friend of mine! _She'll _know what to do", he proclaimed confidently.

And then suddenly Happy was gone and Tony was left alone with the baby.

"Oh no."

* * *

Sorry I didn't update this story sooner, I was busy with getting ready for/taking my finals. But luckily tomorrows my last day of school so soon I'll have much more time to dedicate to my writing (hopefully I'll use it productively . . .) Heh, yaaaaaaah. :P

I'm actually very pleased with this chapter ^,^ I found that it amused me when I went back to edit it :P Somehow I always manage to amaze myself with my writing. I never plan it out so by the end of each chapter I always find myself surprised (and usually very pleased) with what I wrote. It's a fun way to spend my time, that's for sure.


	4. Nanny Potts

Summary: Fem!Harry- "We're in Kings Cross you say. I think if you so desired you'd be able to board a train." "And where would it take me?" "To a new world." Dumbledore paused, almost hesitant. "A world where you would have a new name, a new face . . . and a new family." A year later Tony finds a baby with a lightning bolt scar on his doorstep. . . [Daddy!Tony, Mommy!Pepper, & Child!Harry]

Sorry this took so long to update. I had major writers block for this and The Invisible Trickster for around a month or so but I'm in a writing mood at the moment so expect some updates ;) This story is especially easy to write for so lucky to those who like it ;)

Because Tony is young in this story he has yet to meet Pepper or Rhodey. Additionally he has not yet created Jarvis. Don't worry he'll meet (and in Jarvis case, create) all of these people.

I can's say how long this story will be or how long Wren will be a baby for because I have no plan for this story except very very vague ideas. That's just how I write. It always works out for the better though plus that way I end up surprising myself.

* * *

Chapter 4

Nanny Potts

* * *

Wren was crying.

_Loudly_.

Tony tried everything he knew in order to get her to calm down.

He rocked her back and forth in his arms.

He bounced her on his knee.

He even sang a lullaby.

None of it worked.

Frustrated beyond belief, Tony pulled at his hair and let out a cry of anguish. "What do you _want_?!"

"Your freaking out isn't helping matters you know", a feminine voice informed him smoothly from somewhere just behind him. "Babies can pick up on your emotions. Your negative energy is probably agitating her."

Startled, for he hadn't heard anyone enter his house, Tony turned around to find himself facing an unfamiliar woman. Her appearance perplexed him until he noticed Happy lingering somewhat awkwardly by the woman's side. Upon realizing Happy was back Tony thrust Wren into the ex-boxers arms with a grimace.

"Help me", he cried pathetically gazing into Happy's eyes in order to fully convey just how miserable and desperate he was.

For a moment Happy panicked along with Tony before his expression smoothed over into something more relaxed. "Actually that's what I brought Virginia for."

It was only then, when Happy brought attention to his companion, that Tony fully took in the woman before him. She had long red hair that was pulled into an immaculate bun and bright green eyes. A number of freckles dotted her pale body and instead of subtracting from her beauty as freckles sometimes did they instead seemed to enhance her beauty. She wore a casual outfit that consisted of a white blouse, black flats, and a knee length floral skirt. The woman herself was nothing spectacular but to Tony who was in desperate need of someone to help him take care of Wren she was a vision of perfection.

"You're hired!" Tony announced cheerfully, his tone as final as it was relieved.

"_What_?" the woman asked looking visibly startled by his seemingly random proclamation.

"You heard me Pepper. Starting now you're Wren's nanny."

"I heard you the first time", Virginia informed him with a perplexed tilt of her head. "What I meant by my previous statement was that I wasn't aware this was an interview . . . And my name's Virginia, _not_ Pepper, Mr. Stark."

"I know. In fact I'm pretty sure that Happy introduced you as such something close to a minute ago."

"Then why did you refer to me as Pepper instead of Virginia?"

Tony shrugged weakly with a '_what can you do?_' look on his face. When Pepper shot him a look that clearly indicated that answer wasn't going to fly with her Tony rolled his eyes. "Virginia is such a tragic name. A pretty girl like you deserves a better name than Virginia."

Pepper blushed at Tony's compliment in obvious embarrassment and Tony relished in her reaction, finding it to be rather cute on her. Sensing Tony's amusement at her reaction Pepper quickly schooled her face into a mask of cool indifference, although a faint red still resided in her cheeks. "You didn't answer my question", Pepper reminded him with a breif uninterested look in his direction.

Impressed with her composure Tony decided to humor her. "Your freckles", he told her. "They remind me of Pepper, especially against your pale skin."

"_Ahem_", Happy coughed with a shifty eyed smile as he looked between the two of them. "I'm so glad the two of you are getting along but if you wouldn't mind, Wren is still crying and I think she might have wet herself . . ."

Indeed she had and since Wren was wearing nothing but one of Tony's old T-Shirts most of the pee had ended up running down Happy's shirt.

Tony laughed at the sight. "Better you than me my friend", he chuckled slapping Happy on the back with a smirk.

Happy glared at him as he held Wren at arm's length from his chest while she continued to wail. "Sometimes I really hate you."

"You mean there are times when you like me? That's more than most can say."

With an exasperated shake of her head Pepper gathered Wren into her arms and directed a fierce glare at Tony and Happy. "I'm going to wash Wren off in the sink. In the meantime I need you two to pick up bottles, formula, diapers, clothes, and anything else you can think that Wren might need. We can plan on getting things like a crib and baby monitors tomorrow." When the two men just stared at Pepper blankly her glare darkened. "_Now!_" she snapped.

Both men jumped at her assertive take on things. Happy wasted no time running out to the car he had parked out front. Tony on the other hand stayed in place.

Pepper blushed when she realized her mistake. "Ahh, I'm sorry Mr. Stark. I forgot that you've only just met me. You can stay with Wren and I'll go pick up some of the things she needs with Happy."

Tony shrugged her apologizes off with an unconcerned wave. "No problem. Happens to the best of us." When he noticed Pepper lingering in the room unsurly he asked, "Did you drive here by yourself or did Happy bring you?"

"Happy brought me", she informed him rather awkwardly, tucking a strand of her red hair behind her ear.

"In that case why don't you head downstairs and choose one of my cars to borrow?"

Pepper blinked at him in surprise. "So you trust me to borrow one of your cars . . . _just like that?_"

Tony shrugged casually. "It's just a car. Besides I could easily afford to replace any of them if you decided to steal one and that's assuming you actually manage to steal from me which is highly unlikely to ever happen. Not to mention I trust Happy's judgment and therefore I trust you to an extent."

"Oh . . . Well thank you Mr. Stark. It will be a pleasure to work for you no doubt."

"Please, call me Tony. You're going to be looking after my daughter after all. I see no reason for such formalities."

Tony would, of course, do a thorough background check on Pepper before he even considered leaving her alone with Wren but she didn't need to know that.

"Alright . . . Tony", she consented somewhat awkwardly. With a small nod of farewell Pepper scurried away with him yelling directions to the garage at her retreating form.

Tony was somewhat relieved to notice that Wren was no longer crying. In fact she was making a rather strange face . . .

"Oh shit!" Tony cursed rather ironically when he realized first hand why Wren was making that face. It seemed she wasn't done going to the bathroom just yet and with her lacking a diaper he had quite the unpleasant mess to clean up.

* * *

Heh. I just couldn't help but writing that last bit ;) I'm thinking having yucky things being dumped on Tony (and possibly Happy) will be a theme in this story.


	5. Spoiled

Summary: Fem!Harry- "We're in Kings Cross you say. I think if you so desired you'd be able to board a train." "And where would it take me?" "To a new world." Dumbledore paused, almost hesitant. "A world where you would have a new name, a new face . . . and a new family." A year later Tony finds a baby with a lightning bolt scar on his doorstep. . . [Daddy!Tony, Mommy!Pepper, & Child!Harry]

If anyone's wondering Tony hasn't publicly announced that he has a daughter yet. I might have that occur next chapter. I'm not entirely sure yet.

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Chapter 5

Spoiled

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Normally Pepper was a person who had no problem expressing her opinion but she had only been Wren's nanny for three weeks now and she was still unsure of what her standing was here. There was a chance- small as it may be-that she could get reprimanded, or worse,_ fired_ for speaking freely yet she knew that in this case she absolutely_ had_ to say something.

"Tony . . ." Pepper began hesitantly.

"Come on Pepper, no need to be shy. If you want to say something, say it".

At the moment Tony, Pepper, and Wren were sitting in Tony's lavish living room. While Tony was busy fiddling with one of his inventions Pepper watched Wren play with her blocks and cooed at the baby's cuteness.

At Tony's response Pepper bit her lip. She was still hesitant to say what she was thinking but Tony _did _give her permission so-o . . . "You're spoiling Wren", she told him bluntly.

Tony gawked at her. "Spoiled? What do you mean spoiled?! Wren's not spoiled!"

"Tony", Pepper deadpanned. "Have you seen that child's room?"

"Of course I've seen it. I redecorated and baby proofed it myself. You were there. Remember?" he asked waving around a wrench sarcastically.

Pepper sighed in exasperation. "It was a rhetorical question."

"Then why did you ask it?"

Pepper didn't dignify that with a response. "Tony, you must realize that you're spoiling her. Her room is filled to the brim with stuff animals, dolls, and other toys she doesn't need."

"So?"

"She's not even old enough to play with any of that stuff yet!"

Despite Tony's defensive attitude Wren's room really was over the top for a newborns nursery.

Tony (who didn't even want to imagine Wren's room being filled with every shade of pink and frilly things) took the liberty of painting the walls a nice crimson red and hiring someone to install shiny gold carpeting on the floors. Her crib, made with the finest quality wood with intricate carvings etched into its surface, was overly extravagant not to mention the most expensive brand money could buy. The sheets laid out in the crib were soft and fluffy and the mobile hanging above her head was a thing of beauty.

In one corner lay a handmade dollhouse with a grand total of twenty handmade china dolls sitting on a shelf that Wren wouldn't be able to reach until she was old enough to treat them properly. On the floor near the dollhouse were a handful of child safe dolls that Wren wouldn't be able to break no matter how much she chewed on them or threw them around.

An entire wall was even piled high with all sorts of stuffed animals from cats and dogs to platypuses and penguins. Under the stuffed animals sat a large container of child friendly blocks of varying sizes that Wren could use to make a tower or a fortress if she so pleased.

By her crib was a shelf filled with books of varying reading levels. The books on the lower shelves were meant for a young child but as you worked your way higher up the shelf the books gradually grew in difficulty. The top shelves had books that Tony would be interested in reading at his current age while the lower leveled shelves held books that Wren could enjoy at her current age.

Perhaps most interesting of all was the ceiling which was rigged to light up at night with an accurate projection of the stars. Tony even took the liberty of programing it so that each night a new section of space would be projected on the ceiling.

And that was just the beginning.

"Ok, so maybe Wren is a_ little_ spoiled but what's the harm in that?" Tony asked with a defensive frown.

"Tony", Pepper sighed. "You're a smart man. Surely you know what spoiling a child can do to them mentally."

"Of course I do- it's just that . . ."

"What?"

"It's nothing", Tony told her with a guarded expression. Then with a more nonchalant air he said, "I plan on giving Wren everything she could ever want for- _but_", he added when he noticed Pepper start to protest, "I'll also try to teach her humility, ok?"

Pepper snorted. "You? Teaching someone humility? I'm sorry but I don't see that happening."

Tony glared at Pepper's tone. "I take offence to that. I am perfectly capable of teaching my daughter to be humble!"

Pepper just rolled her eyes and decided to drop the subject. The energy it would take to convince him otherwise wouldn't be worth it in the end.

Done conversing with Tony, Pepper's eyes fell back onto Wren which was when she noticed something odd. "Tony?" She asked curiously. "When was the last time Wren went outside?"

Tony's eyebrows shot up at her question. "Since I found her on my porch in the rain. Why?"

"Oh, it's nothing", Pepper waved off with a little frown of contemplation. "I was just wondering how she managed to obtain a stick."

Perplexed, Tony turned his attention to Wren who did indeed have a stick in her chubby hands. "Huh. That's weird", he mused. "I bet Happy gave it to her or something. Nothing to worry about."

Pepper shook her head at his attitude and easily removed the stick from Wren's hands. After observing it for a quick moment she ended up setting the stick aside on the coffee table which was well out of Wren's reach. At Tony's probing look Pepper explained herself. "I didn't want her to hurt herself with it. I know you don't seem to think it's dangerous but I just wanted to make sure she was safe."

Tony shrugged indifferently at her explanation and went back to his tech.

Meanwhile from her place on the floor Wren began to fuss as she tried to get the stick back.

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;) I think you guys know what that last bit means, yah? Heh, heh.


End file.
